**Click here to download event b-roll.**
WALTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), today brought her West Virginia Girls Rise Up program to Walton Elementary Middle School to promote female empowerment, education, fitness, and self-confidence. Joining Senator Capito in hosting the Girls Rise Up event was Nirja Dave of Planetary Systems Corporation (PSC) by Rocket Lab. Today’s event marks the 30th event since the program’s launch in 2015.
“I started my Girls Rise Up program with the goal of inspiring the next generation of West Virginia’s female leaders to reach their full potential. To do this, it’s important that these young women build each other up to achieve their goals, and that’s what today’s event at Walton was all about. I was also glad to have Nirja Dave join me today to help deliver the message that with dedication and focus, there is nothing West Virginia girls cannot do. I hope the young women at Walton Elementary Middle School feel inspired more than ever after today’s event to overcome their fears and reach for the stars,” Senator Capito said.
“Inspiring and educating the next generation of aerospace experts is a key mission for Rocket Lab,” Peter Beck, Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, said. “We were grateful to be included in Senator Capito’s Girls Rise Up event today because we know that when we inform the public about our work, we can help remove barriers, especially for young girls, to achieve their dreams. The space industry will continue to grow, and we at Rocket Lab are excited to help shape the young minds who will come up with tomorrow’s innovations.”
“It has been such an honor to welcome Senator Capito and Nirja Dave with the Rocket Lab to Walton Elementary Middle School. We have a wonderful group of 4th and 5th grade students that are excited to learn more about the Girls Rise Up initiative. I am so pleased that our students were given the opportunity to learn about a program that encourages girls to set goals to do their very best in school, be active, and of course develop a high-level of self-confidence to become the successful young women that we know they can be. Being able to witness these young ladies being actively engaged with the Senator while setting goals for themselves was truly inspiring,” Walton Elementary Middle School Principal Jennifer Hunt said.
Senator Capito launched the West Virginia Girls Rise Up program in 2015 to instill confidence in young West Virginia women and empower them to be strong and kind female leaders. The program focuses on three areas: education, fitness, and self-confidence.
In 2021 Rocket Lab acquired Planetary Systems Corporation (PSC) which has designed, built, and delivered separation systems for more than 20 years with a 100% success rate – no product has ever failed to operate in flight. With the scale and resources of Rocket Lab behind the team, they are now making separation systems available globally at scale. During today’s event, PSC by Rocket Lab Program Manager Nirja Dave performed a demonstration of a satellite separation system.
Photos from today’s event are below:
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) hosts a West Virginia Girls Rise Up event at Walton Elementary Middle School in Walton, W.Va. on Friday, September 27, 2023.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) hosts a West Virginia Girls Rise Up event at Walton Elementary Middle School in Walton, W.Va. on Friday, September 27, 2023. 
Nirja Dave, Program Manager for PSC by Rocket Lab joins U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) for a West Virginia Girls Rise Up event at Walton Elementary Middle School in Walton, W.Va. on Friday, September 27, 2023.
# # #